All-Star injustice

The All-Star Game is becoming more and more like the Emmys -- nothing more than a popularity contest.

Finally, Mike Lowell of the Florida Marlins has overtaken Scott Rolen for the lead in the N.L. third-baseman category.

One Marlin is, however, missing from the top five at his position: Luis Castillo.

As of Thursday, June 13, Luis was riding a 28-game hit streak, during which he was batting .402. He has 21 steals and is among the leaders in batting average. Now there's a guy you need to vote for.

Why is Armando Rios sixth among all outfielders? This guy is batting .257 with no homers and nine RBIs.

Moises Alou is fifth. He's batting .216 with three homers and 16 RBI.

Come on! This is not a popularity contest. I mean, it is... but it shouldn't be... yeah, that's what I meant.

Albert Pujols is stuck at No. 14, despite a .291 average with 14 homers and 44 knocked in, while scrubs like Armando Rios and Tsuyoshi Shinjo (.245 batting average/4 homre runs/19 RBIs is holding down spot No. 7) are leading the pack.

Ken Griffey Jr. has had 55 ABs this season, and he's batted .200 with two homers and four RBI. Yeah, those numbers are quite deserving of 10th place.

And amazingly, Shawn Green and Cliff Floyd, among others, have their names conspicuously missing from the top 15.

Mark Grace isn't even starting in Arizona anymore, and he's got fifth place among N.L. first-basemen.

Which, of course, is not as much injustice as Tino Martinez (.243/8/34) being third over Richie Sexson (.271/16/53).

Fernando Tatis is batting .256 with five homers and 11 RBI will manning fifth place among N.L. third sackers.

Give Paul White of Baseball Weekly credit for that one. Yes, vote all the Montreal Expos into the game, when only Jose Vidro and Vladimir Guerrero deserve to be there.

Tatis is joined by Michael Barrett as Expos who are way to high up.

That was the N.L. Onto the Junior Circuit.

First off, I was ranking on Paul White in the N.L. section of this article, but I have to give credit where credit's due.

Paul, you did an excellent job at getting deserving Twins (AJ Pierzynski, Doug Mientkiewicz, Christian Guzman, Corey Koskie, Torii Hunter, and Jacque Jones) up there.

Unfortunately, you also got Luis Rivas. Oh well. C'est la vie.

Aaaaaaanyway, I'm glad people aren't overlooking Ivan Rodriguez's great season. I mean, he's batting .299 (...in 67 ABs). That home run total really catches your eye (actually, that zero looks like an eye). Hey, at least he's knocked in eight.

Bret Boone (.240/8/43) is in second place....why? Oh, I guess the same reason that Frank Catalanotto (.260/1/10) and the aforementioned Luis Rivas (.282/0/6 in 39 ABs) are in third and fourth.

At least I can find some serenity in the fact that Shea Hillenbrand is leading at third. But then I see Jeff Cirillo (.233/5/32) in fifth.

Congrats, Mike Cameron. You hit four homers in one game and you're magically fourth among outfielders, despite a .223 batting average.

Ben Grieve (.233/7/27) is in sixth. You know what, just to save myself time, everyone from fourth to 15th does not deserve to be there with the exceptions of: Bernie Williams, Johnny Damon, Kenny Lofton, Magglio Ordonez, and Jacque Jones. 'Nuff said.

Well, I've gotta get going. I'm gonna see if Mike Piazza is holding a press conference to tell us he's not a vegitarian.